The present invention relates generally to cancer diagnosis and monitoring. The invention is more specifically related to polypeptides comprising at least a portion of an ovarian carcinoma protein, and to polynucleotides encoding such polypeptides. Such polypeptides and polynucleotides may be used to generate compounds for the diagnosis and monitoring of cancer, such as ovarian cancer.
Ovarian cancer is a significant health problem for women in the United States and throughout the world. Although advances have been made in detection and therapy of this cancer, no vaccine or other universally successful method for prevention or treatment is currently available. Management of the disease currently relies on a combination of early diagnosis and aggressive treatment, which may include one or more of a variety of treatments such as surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and hormone therapy. The course of treatment for a particular cancer is often selected based on a variety of prognostic parameters, including an analysis of specific tumor markers. However, the use of established markers often leads to a result that is difficult to interpret, and high mortality continues to be observed in many cancer patients.
In order to improve cancer treatment and survival, it would be beneficial to identify ovarian carcinoma antigens that permit an earlier or more accurate diagnosis. In addition, further antigens are needed to facilitate the selection of a course of treatment and monitoring of patients. The present invention fulfills these needs and further provides other related advantages.
Briefly stated, this invention provides compositions and methods for the detection and monitoring of cancer, such as ovarian cancer. Polypeptides are disclosed that comprise at least an immunogenic portion of an ovarian carcinoma protein, or a variant thereof that differs in one or more substitutions, deletions, additions and/or insertions such that the ability of the variant to react with ovarian carcinoma-specific antisera is not substantially diminished. Within certain embodiments, the ovarian carcinoma protein comprises a sequence that is encoded by a polynucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:1-310, and complements of such polynucleotides. Polynucleotides that encode all or a portion of an ovarian carcinoma protein are also provided. Such polypeptides, polynucleotides, and compounds that bind to the polypeptides or polynucleotides, may be used in the diagnosis and monitoring of cancer, such as ovarian cancer.
Within certain aspects, the present provides methods for determining the presence or absence of a cancer in a patient, comprising (a) contacting a biological sample obtained from a patient with a binding agent that binds to a polypeptide as recited above; (b) detecting in the sample an amount of polypeptide that binds to the binding agent; and (c) comparing the amount of polypeptide with a predetermined cut-off value, and therefrom determining the presence or absence of a cancer in the patient. Within preferred embodiments, the binding agent is an antibody, more preferably a monoclonal antibody. The cancer may be ovarian cancer.
The present invention also provides, within other aspects, methods for monitoring the progression of a cancer in a patient. Such methods comprise the steps of: (a) contacting a biological sample obtained from a patient at a first point in time with a binding agent that binds to a polypeptide as recited above; (b) detecting in the sample an amount of polypeptide that binds to the binding agent; (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) using a biological sample obtained from the patient at a subsequent point in time; and (d) comparing the amount of polypeptide detected in step (c) with the amount detected in step (b) and therefrom monitoring the progression of the cancer in the patient.
The present invention further provides, within other aspects, methods for determining the presence or absence of a cancer in a patient, comprising the steps of: (a) contacting a biological sample obtained from a patient with an oligonucleotide that hybridizes to a polynucleotide that encodes an ovarian carcinoma protein, wherein the ovarian carcinoma protein comprises an amino acid sequence that is encoded by a polynucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of: (i) polynucleotides recited in any one of SEQ ID NOs:1-310; and (ii) complements of the foregoing polynucleotides; (b) detecting in the sample a level of a polynucleotide that hybridizes to the oligonucleotide; and (c) comparing the level of polynucleotide that hybridizes to the oligonucleotide with a predetermined cut-off value, and therefrom determining the presence or absence of a cancer in the patient. Within certain embodiments, the amount of mRNA is detected via polymerase chain reaction using, for example, at least one oligonucleotide primer that hybridizes to a polynucleotide that encodes a polypeptide as recited above, or a complement of such a polynucleotide. Within other embodiments, the amount of mRNA is detected using a hybridization technique, employing an oligonucleotide probe that hybridizes to a polynucleotide that encodes a polypeptide as recited above, or a complement of such a polynucleotide.
In related aspects, methods are provided for monitoring the progression of a cancer in a patient, comprising the steps of: (a) contacting a biological sample obtained from a patient with an oligonucleotide that hybridizes to a polynucleotide that encodes an ovarian carcinoma protein, wherein the ovarian carcinoma protein comprises an amino acid sequence that is encoded by a polynucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of: (i) polynucleotides recited in any one of SEQ ID NOs:1-310; and (ii) complements of the foregoing polynucleotides; (b) detecting in the sample an amount of a polynucleotide that hybridizes to the oligonucleotide; (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) using a biological sample obtained from the patient at a subsequent point in time; and (d) comparing the amount of polynucleotide detected in step (c) with the amount detected in step (b) and therefrom monitoring the progression of the cancer in the patient.
Within further aspects, the present invention provides antibodies, such as monoclonal antibodies, that bind to a polypeptide as described above, as well as diagnostic kits comprising such antibodies. Diagnostic kits comprising one or more oligonucleotide probes or primers as described above are also provided.